<p>I am in the 9th grade. I need a really good mentor as i am planning on entering the Intel ISEF in 11th grade and 12th grade as well as the Intel STS in 12th grade. However, I want to do the AP Physics C exam for both E & M in 11th grade too & my high school does not offer an AP Physics class, only Physics Honors which is just the basics. I was planning on going to Stanford's Summer School after 10th grade before 11th grade for Mechanics, Heat, and Electricity and Electricity and Magnetism, Optics, Modern Physics to prepare for the exam and it will span the ENTIRE summer meaning I cannot go anywhere else. I was planning on possibly building a good connection with the professor who teaches the classes and have him/her be my mentor for the project for when I enter the ISEF in 11th grade but I sort of don't want to risk it if he/she denies being my mentor therefore ruining my chance of ISEF! I was wondering if I should go with the Caltech YESS research program instead since it is more of a research program which means the professors will probably be more than glad to aid me in the ISEF.</p>
<p>You have to apply for YESS, and admissions is VERY competitive, something like 7%. If you get in, then by all means go!</p>
<p>Also, I believe YESS is mainly for urm.</p>
<p>I am a female Asian coming from a school that is predominantly hispanic andafrican-american with a few whites and little to no asian (5%). Will this be regarded?</p>
<p>Yes, as a female.</p>
<p>What is the acronym “urm”?</p>
<p>^Under-represented minority</p>
<p>helll yeaaah. thx.</p>
<p>Being female and not URM probably isn’t enough to get you into YESS, btw. </p>
<p>That said, if you’re that passionate about physics, just do EPGY during the year… it’s a good course. Don’t bother with actually wasting your summer like that.</p>
<p>^She is not an URM. Asians are sadly over-represented.</p>
<p>Females are usually considered URMs in the world of STEM (Science, Tech, Eng, Math).</p>
<p>My bad. I misread Palaoa’s post. I thought he/she said “being female and a URM” :/</p>
<p>do you guys feel that stanford’s aerospace research facilities, programs and professors are better than caltech’s? or vice versa?</p>